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☰
Columbus Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Columbus Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.1 
Spectators 4.2
Number of comments: 335 [displaying comments 251 to 261]
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J. C. from Upton, KY
(10/18/2004)
"Great race for my first time! Nice and flat!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I loved the course and it couldn't have been more perfect for my first marathon. There were a couple of small 'hills' but nothing compared to the hilly roads that I am used to. I would recommend this course to anyone wanting to try a marathon for the first time. The only negative I would have to mention is that there were not enough port-a-johns along the way. There need to be more than a couple at each stop. | |
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s. c. from pittsburgh pa
(10/18/2004)
"Boston in 2005" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Third time to run this race, and I've never been disappointed. The ease of walking to start/finish from hotel fifteen minutes before the start is sweet. Course is more than fair. Was hoping for a Coolmax shirt (not cotton), crowds were plentiful, and aid stations and Gu were available as advertised. This was my 13th marathon, and lucky for me, number 14 will be in Boston 2005. Thanks Columbus! | |
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A. L. from Dublin, OH
(10/18/2004)
"Good Course, But The 'Whole Experience' Lacks" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 On the whole, Columbus is a good race. Convenient for travel, a varied course, and small enough to experience everything... however, that's the problem - for two years now, I've watched my friends at a 6 HR pace, not get a medal b/c the organizers have 'run out.' IMO, these people deserve their medal more than anyone! Don't you know how many people will run? I also find the website to be severely lacking - compared with something like NYC, where training tips, FAQ's, etc. are always abundant - the navigation alone is bad (Click HOME and you go back to an annoying FLASH Screen - no content), and annoying emails said to look for the upcoming FAQ section on the website even up to the day before the race. Many people in the area train for this on their own and to have to save upwards of 30 emails is truly bad planning. To have such a large staff and no one to think these things through... Also, miles 22-26 really started to space out water and MM 23 was totally missing - as the saying goes, the last 6 miles are based on heart and these kind of omissions make the heart have to work harder. Fun race - but go to Marine Corps, Chicago or NYC for a truly unforgettable experience! | |
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b. k. from youngstown,ohio
(10/18/2004)
"Worth the trip to Columbus!!!!" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first. The expo and marathon were very organized (need more porta-johns at the start), mostly flat, more inclines than hills, good course around Columbus vicinity, lots of people to watch you finish, plenty of water stops and Gu on the course. Would run this one again!!! | |
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Pamela Robinson from Beavercreek, OH
(10/18/2004)
"One of the best times of my life" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first full marathon and I loved it. I ran many half marathons but wanted to run the Columbus because of all the great things I've heard about it. I was not disappointed. They went above and beyond my expectations. The long sleeve t-shirt and medal were awesome. The water stations, the Gov. giving everyone a high-five when running past, the course and the crowds were unbelievable. High Street (all six miles of it) was a killer. It is a nice flat course with a few hills. I can't wait for next year. In the meantime, I will continue to run 13.1 miles! THANK YOU FOR A GREAT RACE. | |
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T. R. from Ohio
(8/18/2004)
"A great hometown race" (about: 2003)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I'll admit to being a bit biased since the start and finish lines are close to my house (and it's the only marathon I've ever run) but I really enjoy running this race. The fans are very vocal, even for us back-of-the-packers, and the course is relatively flat with only mild undulations throughout. My only real complaints are the pace groups weren't really on the correct pace (the two I've run with were both faster than they should have been), the water stops towards the end were lacking in volunteers and upon completion, they ran out of finisher medals. I'd think you'd know how many people were going to run the race so planning accordingly should be easy. It's just not the same receiving your medal in the mail 2 weeks after the race. With all that said, I'm training for it for '04 with a hope of not being as far in the back as normal. | |
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M. M. from Dublin, Ohio
(6/23/2004)
"Good course, good fans, lousy organization" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 As the others have commented, the course is very nice. It starts on a nice wide street allowing runners to find their stride right away. There are small elevation changes, but nothing too severe. The last 1/10 mile is downhill on a brick road. The spectators are great. It is a spectator-friendly course, allowing your fans to see you several times in the downtown area. Very nice. The amenities suck, though. There are no porta-johns at the start - plan to go in the alley before the start. The medals are the worst I've ever seen. The race results are slow in being posted, two weeks or more before they finally got mine close to being right. Hopefully they will address some of the many complaints listed on this web site. They have the potential for a great race here. The course and spectators are terrific. If they could somehow get OSU (we run right through the campus) to come out and support it they'd really have something. The race directors need to listen to the runners, maybe run a marathon once themselves, and fix the problems from last year. There are better races for your money. | |
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Rob Wagner from Columbus, OH
(6/13/2004)
"Objective opinions from a local runner." (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Having completed 16 lifetime marathons and 6 in Columbus over the last 14 years, I will say a few things about the race and city for an objective view to my fellow marathoners. This race and the city have a lot to offer. If you are even close to being in PR shape ? you should definitely hone in on this course for your new record. If you are a beginner or novice marathoner, this course is friendly and exciting, but not intimidating. The weather is typically good to excellent for 26.2, but of course ? no guarantees. The course elevation change is perfect. There is just enough mild grade change to balance the quad and calf effort throughout the race. The term flat is relative, so please check out the marathon website?s elevation chart for your personal determination. The start of the race is like a big city marathon with hovering helicopters, lots of energy, fun preludes, and a solid but not overwhelming runner crowd. The finish is very cool ? turn and burn from the pavement to the city smooth downhill brick-lined street with the announcer calling your name and wall-to-wall fans cheering you home in stereo. The spectator friendliness of the course is probably one of the most underrated characteristics. Your personal fan club can see you at the start, 10-mile point, midway, and finish with just a little bit of walking. And the overall fan support is simply great, and it will keep you going - especially between bad patches. Not so sure about the 100,000 number though. That would mean about one spectator per every 1.5 linear foot along the course ? you do the math. But the organized neighborhood parties, bands and solo rooters are very sincere and exuberant. Volunteers are simply superb, and are getting more organized and better trained every year. Columbus has tons of great restaurants, so you may want to consider booking a pre-game meal if you opt out of the pasta dinner. In fact, Columbus has some really neat attractions ? so let your fingers do the walking on the net to find the ones that you like. The race director and staff seem sincerely open to listening to the needs of runners, walkers, wheelchair racers, and travelers, so hopefully the few, but important complaints from previous races will be addressed. By far, the ongoing biggest disappointment in my opinion is the lack of media coverage. It is truly sad. Since this isn?t an OSU event or a tragedy, don?t look for any coverage beyond a 9-second sound bite from local TV. The print coverage has improved a bit, but really, both are orders of magnitude below the coverage of other comparable races. The overall prize purse is ok, but I do not see any reason why it could not be bumped up significantly to draw in more elites. | |
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Richard Hickle from Worthington, Ohio
(6/12/2004)
"Great course, spectators, management." (General Comments)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Columbus has always been a great experience. The start, course, finish area and organization are always top-notch. This is a great race for first-timers as well as veterans! | |
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Don McNelly from Rochester, NY
(6/2/2004)
"Great marathon, takes place the right time of year" (about: 2003)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run over 600 marathons in every state and in every Canadian province and territory. I have done this marathon 20 times and sure plan to do it again this year. It is one of my very favorites. I have taken many runners with me over the years and will continue to do so. It has been well organized over the years. My only suggestion for improvement is for an 80+ age group. Note that Portland is now up to 90+ by five-year age groups. Older runners should be encouraged. |
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